CD Reviews

I second the vote; DON'T BE TEMPTED

Tommy Peter | Baltimore, MD United States | 09/05/2002

(2 out of 5 stars)

"My apologies to Amazon.com: I'm basically just going to reiterate what the last reviewer said, but it should be said again. This recording may look cool, especially to the theater buff, on the outside, being the first known "live" recording of a show-and a Ziegfeld Follies starring Fanny Brice (The comedienne-singer famously portrayed by Barbra Streisand in "Funny Girl") at that, but the recording quality is so awful that it just isn't worth it. This isn't even the actual Broadway version; it's a 1935 touring edition with some Braodway cast members (Including singer Jane Froman) replaced by others and several songs cut. Not only that, but the complete show, though apparently it was all recorded, isn't even represented! The liner notes claim the comedy sketches (Including Brice's first "Baby Snooks" routine), apparently all played upstage and away from the microphone, sounded so bad that they were unreleasable. The "Snooks" sketch couldn't have sounded worse than Brice's "Countess Dubinsky" number which is inflicted on us here. I don't know much about the details of recordings and things, but I really wonder if this wasn't a bootleg (The CD cover even says it was never intended to be released) that some historian found, got all excited about, and attempted to release as a legitimate CD based on its historical value alone. Well, sometimes historical value just isn't enough. The show's got Brice and the standard "I Like the Likes of You," and even a finale (Apparently also different from the BRoadway finale), in which Brice and the cast reprise old "Follies" favorites like "Shine On Harvest Moon," "A PRetty Girl Is Like a Melody," and BRice's "Rose of Washington Square," but at best you'll just barely be able to make out what they're all saying and singing, and only if you turn the volume of your CD player way up. Pretty much NO ONE, regardless of knowledge or tolerance of sound quality in recordings, is going to be able to take this, so please, don't bother unless you feel you must beef up your cast album collection. I played it once and probably will never play it again. I ask you not to go so far as to buy so you can play it once. Just skip it."

Vintage Follies Recording could have been done better

James S. Jones Jr. | Athens, GA | 01/06/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Let me begin by saying that, contrary to an earlier reviewer's opinion, the fact that this is the oldest known live show recording more than makes this CD worthwhile; it makes it a priceless document of Broadway history.That being said, the CD reissue does have its flaws. In the interest of historical preservation/presentation, the ENTIRE existing recording should have been included (regardless of "quality"). This could have been accomplished by making it a two disc set. Admittedly, this would have pushed up the price, but realistically, this set is like the "Music from the New York Stage: 1890-1920" albums--no one but serious theatre buffs are even going to be interested anyway.Whatever its flaws, the people at AEI must be commended for undertaking the project to begin with. We can only hope that someday the original discs will be rediscovered (the CD transfer was made from analog tapes copied from the discs years ago), or if not, that a new edition will be released containing all existing material.To end, as a collector of vintage recordings, I can say that I enjoyed the CD immensely (even in its incomplete form) and would heartily recommend it to anyone interested in vintage musical theatre."

Full Disclosure, Please!

Thomas Bumbera | Maplewood, NJ USA | 01/14/2002

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Two stars for historical value only. The recording quality of this disc is horrendous, despite restoration, and is for die-hard theater buffs ONLY, virtually unlistenable for everyone else."